Thermo-compressor



J. K IRGAN THERMO coMPREsson Filed April 23, 193e l!!! r fi m. WN

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Patented Aug.. 24, 1937 y 2,090,760

UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcE THERMO-COMPRESSOR John Kirgan, Easton, Pa., assigner to Ingersoll- Rand Company, Jersey City, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey i Application April 23, 1936, Serial No. I76,075

5 Claims. (Cl. 23o-103) This invention relates to thermo-compressors, therefrom and extends into the conduit 4.` This and particularly to thermo-compressors of the ue I is long enough to pass entirely through the steam ejector type for entra'ining vapor and discasing 3 and into a part oi the Iconduit 4 that is charging it into a condenser. y outside of this casing The conduit 4 and ue 5 An object of the invention is to provide an ef- I0 provide an annular passage II .whichl receives 5 cient and compact type of thermo-compressor nozzles 1. Preferably the conduit 4' is convergadapted to permit operation to suit changing conently constructed between the inlet end 8 and ditions in the condenser due to Variations in the the throat section I4. The annular passage betemperature of the water for cooling the contween the flue and conduit then acts as a venturi,

10 denser and other causes. In its preferred form having a constantly decreasing area at the sec- 10 vthe compressor includes a casing, a connection to tion II, a throat section 23 of constant area, and vthe condenser and nozzles to permit stage coman expanding chamber in the section 24 prior to pression at suitable points in said casingv or conthe entrance to the second throat section I4, and nection arranged so that the quantity and presthe annular passage thereby improves the conisure of steam can be regulated as may be necespression characteristic of the nozzles 1. The 15 sary. endfof the ilue IIJ is closed but carries a number Another object is to provide an ejector conof additional nozzles I2.l 'I'his ue or extension structed to eiect drying out of the vapor as it is I0 receives steam from a pipe I3 to be discharged entrained by heating it somewhat and evaporatfrom the nozzles I2. Just beyond these nozzles ing any particles of moisture that might be susthe conduit 4 has a contracting portion I8 lead- 20 pended therein. Thus the work of compression ing to a reduced sectionl I4 and beyond this secis facilitated. tion I4 the section I5 o'f the conduit expands up 'I'he drawing shows a preferred embodiment to the point where itis connected to the conof the invention, which is of coursesusceptible denser 5. The steam pipes 9 and I3 contain 25 of various alterations in practice without deshut-oli valves which can be manipulated by 25,

parture from the principle of the invention.v outside knobs I6 and I1 respectively.

Figure 1 is a view in section of apparatus ac In operation the annular space II forms a cording to this invention, and primary passage through which the steam from Figure 2 is a similar view ofa modiilcation. the nozzles 1 and the vapor from the evaporator The numeral I indicates a vessel fromv which I are'transmitted. The pressure and velocity 30 vapor is to be extracted, this vessel having an of the vapor is increased in this passage. So outlet port 2 leading to the casing 3 of a thermolong as the temperature of the water for cooling compressor which discharges through a. conduit the condenser does not become too warm, the 4 into a condenser 5. In practice the vessel I` nozzles 1 will ordinarily be suiiicient. If, howmay be the evaporator of a refrigerating system, j ever, the cooling water of the condenser under- 35 and the energizing pressure fluid of the comgoes too much rise in temperature the nozzles pressor'may b e steam or any other suitable me- I2 are also brought into action. When these dium. 'I'he condenser may be cooled by water or nozzles are used the iue I0 serves to carry steam any other agent which may be admitted to the from the pipe I3 thereto. These nozzles 4act 40 condenser, either in the form of spray or caused upon the steam and vapor in the passage II 40 to flow through cooling pipes which are not' and compress them further, in the secondary shown herein. The casing 3xcarrieslat one end a compression space I9 enclosed by the constricted f steam chest or header 6 from which nozzles prosection I8 of the yconduit 4, into the small section ject into said casing, the ends of these nozzles beor neck I4 whence they vissue into the diffusing ing received and enveloped by the enlarged inner section I5 of this conduit and are' impelled into 45 extremity 8 of the conduit 4, which is at the other the condenser 5. Thus the thermo-compressor n end-of the casing but projects far enough into can work just as advantageously when the conthe casing 3 for this purpose. The nozzlesv 1 redenser is warmer because, as the water becomes ceive steam from a supply pipe 9 and when the warmer and the pressure in the condenser'rises,

ejector is in action the entralning effect of the the nozzles I2 venable the increased pressure in A50 fluid directed by the nozzles 1 into the conduit 4 the condenser to be overcome and the mixture causes vapor to ow out of' the evaporator I of steam and vapor delivered as before to'the through the port 2 and into the conduit 4. condenser to be liquelied. The pipe I3 delivers The steam chestS also carries a central flue or into the nue I0 and the steam chest I has an extension member I0 which projects centrally annular chamber 20 surrounding the nue Il to 55 receive steam for the nozzles 1. When the water for the condenser iscooler the nozzles I2 may be kept inoperative to save steam because then the pressure in the condenser will be lower and the steam from the nozzles 1 will be sufilcient to serve the purpose.

The action of the ejector is vfurther assisted by the temperature of the central flue I0 which acts as a heating element to vaporize any moisture that may be present in the vapors as they pass through they passage II, especially when the nozzles I2 are in action. The heating effect permits an increase in velocity of vapor ilow in the passage II and through the throat section 23\ thereby enabling the nozzles 1 to draw more vapor through the inlet 2. Steam at any suitable pressure will of course be used to energize the nozzles 1 and I2.

This nozzle arrangement is very eilicient and well adapted to remove vapor from the evaporator I as the pressure in the condenser 5 rises.

or falls due to changes in the cooling water thereof or in the output of the system. The compressor thus provides reserve capacity so that as the load rises, a greater refrigerating `effect can be obtained by the use of more steam with the nozzles I2, and when the demand for refrigeration drops, less steam can be provided by shutting oi the steam pipe I3.' Hence the compressor can operate as conditions demand whether the water for cooling the condenser is Warmor cold and whether the load on the system be full or part load.

It is to be noted that the nozzles 1 will take care of ordinary loads and that the nozzles I2 are Well adapted to enable the compressor to work with higher loads because they are placed adjacent the neck orthroat I l where the com'- pression is greatest and the resistance to the flow is strongest.

The header 6 ilts into an opening 2l in the casing 3 and has a peripheral iiange 22 to engage the casing 3 around said opening to enable the header or chest to be secured in any suitable way.

In Figure 2 the steam chest 6 has a tapering.

extension Ill"L with no nozzles at its inner end. This extension is hollow and a pipe Il serves to deliver steam to the extension. The nozzles 1 are positioned around the member I0* and steam is conveyed thereto by a pipe 9 through Aan annular chamber around the extension III* in the steam chest 6. `In operation the steam filling this extension I Il* keeps it warm and any moisture carried by the vapor which enters the casing 3 through the opening 2 and deposits on this member I0* is evaporated.

y I claim:

1. A thermo-compressor having a casing, a discharge conduit having a throat therein, nozzles in the casing to discharge a pressure iiuid into the conduit, means to deliver pressure fluid to the nozzles, a heating element extending into the conduit beyond said throat to impart heat to the media passing through said throat, and means for heating the element.

2. A thermo-compressor having a casing, a discharge conduit having two throats therein, nozzles in the casing to discharge a pressure fluid into the conduit, means to deliver pressure iluid to the nozzles, a heating'element extending into the conduit beyond the irst throat to a point adjacent the second throat, additional nozzles positioned between the throats for discharging additional pressure fluid into the conduit, and means for heating the element to enable the element to heat the media in the conduit.

3. A thermo-compressor having a casing, a discharge conduit having a throat therein, a hollow heating element extending into the conduit through and beyond the throat, nozzles to discharge a pressure fluid intothe conduit and throat, means to deliver pressure uid to the nozzles, additional nozzles positioned beyond the throat and leading from the element to the conduit, and separate means to deliver pressure fluid through the element to the last said nozzles to thereby impart heat to said element.

4. In a thermo-compressor, a casing, a discharge conduit associated with the casing, nozzles in the casing to discharge a pressure fluid into the conduit, means to deliver pressure fluid to the nozzles, a heating element within the conduit deiining a throat section in the conduit and adapted to heat media in the throat section,

and means to heat the element.

5. A thermo-compressor having a casing, a discharge conduit having a throat therein associated with the casing, nozzles in the casing to discharge a pressure fluid into the conduit, means to deliver pressure fluid to the nozzles, a heating element extending into the conduit through said throat to impart heat to the media in the conduit, additional nozzles positioned beyond said throat for delivering additional pressure iiuid to the conduit, and means to deliver pressure fluid to the heating element to impart heat thereto.

JOHN KIRGAN. 

